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This refreshing sixty minute performance neatly hooked together my two reviewing interests: music and theatre and, for the first time this year made my feel properly, glowingly \u201cChristmassy\u201d.<\/p>\nThis refreshing sixty minute performance neatly hooked together my two reviewing interests: music and theatre and, for the first time this year made my feel properly, glowingly \u201cChristmassy\u201d.<\/p>\n
Five BPO brass players played musical interludes with Joanna McGregor (BPO\u2019s artistic director) directing, mostly from piano while Roger Allam narrated Dickens\u2019s most famous Christmas story. The effect was pretty magical, especially as I was at the 3pm performance so dusk was falling by the end and we could see the performers backlit by the red flushed lighting on the altar behind them.<\/p>\n
Music was used to provide atmosphere and to mark the end of episodes. Allam\u2019s initial entry and opening sentences were slightly overpowered by the music but the balance soon settled. His warm, resonant voice and huge stage presence is a huge asset to any show and the story telling (abridged by Richard Williams who also directed) couldn\u2019t have been clearer. The all age audience was clearly listening attentively and laughed aloud several times.<\/p>\n
The acoustic in the church supported the music so well that each part was clearly audible. I was delighted to notice, in particular, the tuba (John Elliot) with melodious lines at the bottom of the texture especially in Es is ein Ros entsprungen, the tune I know as \u201cO Great and Mighty Wonder\u201d which, in Roger Harvey\u2019s arrangement, comes as series of sparky variations. Harvey does stirring things with the modal, minor sonority of \u201cO Come O Come Emmanuel\u201d in a very plangent arrangement after the Ghost of Christmas Past. The Coventry Carol with a beautiful trombone intro was a good moment too. And what a clever idea to use an arrangement of Haydn\u2019s Gypsy Rondo (from Trio 39) for the dance music at Mr Fezziwig\u2019s party.<\/p>\n
Joanna McGregor, meanwhile, was adding percussion including drumming, clocks chiming and menacing soft drum sticks on piano keys as well as managing the quintet, playing piano, and composing original music for this show: an accomplished musical multi-tasker.<\/p>\n
Allam\u2019s cueing meant that he picked up the story in the same bar that each musical interlude ended so that there was no opportunity for applause so the narrative flowed as it should \u2013 a wise directorial decision.<\/p>\n
I also liked John Iveson\u2019s Carol Fantasy with which the show ended \u2013 especially the unusual harmonies in \u201cAway in a Manger\u201d and the \u201cswing\u201d element in \u201cGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen\u201d. These medleys are notoriously difficult to bring off (trust me \u2013 I\u2019ve tried) because of the key, time signature and tempo changes. This one was almost perfect. Bravo.<\/p>\n
Susan Elkin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This refreshing sixty minute performance neatly hooked together my two reviewing interests: music and theatre and, for the first time this year made my feel properly, glowingly \u201cChristmassy\u201d. Five BPO brass players played musical interludes with Joanna McGregor (BPO\u2019s artistic … Continue reading